Participant and Stakeholder Perceptions of the Food FARMacy Emergency Food Assistance Program for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Food FARMacy is a clinical-community emergency food assistance program developed in response to food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Few qualitative studies have examined participant, and clinical and community stakeholder experiences with these food assistance programs. OBJECTIVE: To examine the motivations, experiences, and perceptions of Food FARMacy participants and program stakeholders. DESIGN: A qualitative study using in-depth interviews between March 2021 and July 2021. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Twenty-four Food FARMacy participants and 10 program stakeholders in New York, NY (Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens) older than age 18 years were interviewed. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Participant and program stakeholder interviews were analyzed separately. Themes that were salient in both groups were combined for reporting. RESULTS: Both program participants and stakeholders perceived: pandemic-related demands combined with reduced resources motivated participation; convenience, safety, and ease of access facilitated program retention; participants valued fresh produce and diversity of foods; the program improved diet and health; minimizing food waste was a priority; and social cohesion was an unexpected program benefit. Two additional themes among only program stakeholders also were identified: aligned values, flexibility, and communication were key to successful partnerships; and trust between community partners and community members drove programmatic success. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that a multisite clinical-community partnership to provide emergency food assistance in New York City can be leveraged to reduce barriers to healthy food access and address food insecurity during crises.